


Mission Tree

by Oparu



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-03-07
Updated: 2010-03-07
Packaged: 2017-10-07 19:06:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,344
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/68241
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oparu/pseuds/Oparu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Pure kidlet Christmas fluff</p>
            </blockquote>





	Mission Tree

Christmas Eve - 2019

"MX3-482," John announces as the 'gate shuts off behind him. "Did you write it down?"

Andy nods, looking over his hand held computer with the gravity only a ten year-old could have. "Yes, sir, location of the 'gate is marked on the map."

"Dun have to call him 'sir'," Indy points out, looking over at his brother and rolling his eyes. "He's just dad."

"We're on a mission," Claudia pipes up, trying not to giggle like her sister. John's youngest, Ripley, holds his hand tightly, still giggling at her brothers. Half of what Indy does seems to send her into the giggles and John counts himself lucky.

"Everyone remember what we're looking for?" Rodney asks the kids. Little Ben, not quite four, and the youngest child on their mission, tugs his father's hand. "Tree daddy," he answers quickly.

"Big tree," Claudia adds, crossing her arms over her chest in an excellent imitation of her mother. "Something for the 'gate room."

Ripley, called Ellen just long enough for Jack to make the nickname official, tugs his hand forward and John nods to the group.

"All right, everyone stay with their buddy," he reminds the children. As Andrew pairs off with Marie, Sam and Jack's eldest daughter, he can't help wondering if he'll keep seeing them together, provided their friendship survives puberty.

Claudia and Indy scamper into the trees together and Ripley and Ben stay close to their dads. Ripley's too independent to hold hands long, but Ben keeps his grip on Rodney's hand.

"I can't believe Tagan and Ylea wanted to go with Ronan," Rodney complains.

John doesn't bother smirking at him, Ronan's popularity with everyone's children is second only to Jack's. "You know it's just because they think he'll hunt something other than a pine tree.  
Face it Rodney, he's cooler than you."

"He is not cooler than me," Rodney protests but John can see Ripley and Ben nodding.

"Ronan is really cool daddy," Ripley explains. She looks at the ground, then looks up with a sympathetic smile. "Uncle Jack is really cool too."

"Your dad's a kinda cool," Ben offers to her.

Ripley considers this, and then both children turn to Rodney. "You're very smart," Ripley says to him patiently. "Everyone thinks so. My mommy says you're smart all the time."

John raises his eyebrows and wonders if 'smart ass' was the wording Elizabeth used. Ripley's thankfully still innocent enough to miss the fact that her mother juggles the affairs of an entire city of thousands and frequently has long, exhausting conversations with the last few governments on Earth.

"She also said he makes her hair go gray," Ben points out and both of them nod to Rodney. "More than uncle John."

Grinning because the children always seem to come down on his side, John nudges Rodney's shoulder. "Looks like they have a winner," he holds up his handheld and points at Andrew and Marie's signal. "Might be a new record."

"Who found one last year again?" Rodney wonders, swinging Ben up onto his back whrn the little boy's legs got tired.

Ripley seems to be thinking, her green eyes always get still when she is, so John waits patiently for his daughter. "Sam," she says finally, looking up at her dad for acknowledgement. "My auntie Sam."

"My auntie Sam too!" Ben chortles in his father's ear and John grins.

While the two children debated who was who's family, John caught Rodney's sentimental look.

"Didn't think we'd be here, did you?" Rodney asks, watching John as he pulls the saw from his pack. John's been waiting for weeks to see if Andrew's strong enough to help him saw the tree this year. He assumes, with Marie's help, that it shouldn't be a problem. Andrew's started to grow this year, and he's already been wondering what his son will look like when he's grown.

"Well-" John pauses, scratching the back of his head as the kids swarm the tree. "Maybe not you."

"Dad-"

"Daddy-"

"Sir-"

As all of the children wait for permission, John shrugs. "I kinda thought I'd be here. Someday."

* * *

 

Elizabeth rubs her temples with her hands and closes her eyes before she looks back at the open channel to Earth.

General Landry's smile is sincere, as always, but she's always hated that he's volunteered to stay on Earth. It's become such a wild place, with the last dying vestiges of humanity clinging to the cities while nature reclaims the planet.

"Have a Merry Christmas Elizabeth," he wishes warmly. "Maybe next year I can say it in person."

"You're always welcome here," she reminds him. "Take care."

"Always do," he grins and the channel clicks closed. She stares at the now nearly defunct SGC symbol, trying to remind herself how to smile.

Sam, who has the unerring skill of slipping into her office when she's not listening, smiles at her. "How's the General?"

"Stubbourn," Elizabeth sighs and looks up. "How's the construction in the colony going?"

Sam raises an eyebrow. "They're taking today and tomorrow off," she reminds her.

Elizabeth's confusion fades and she shakes her head. "Sorry, sorry," she offers quickly. "I just said Merry Christmas to the general and I can't seem to remember what day it is."

"John's right you know," Sam says, reaching a hand across the desk. "You work too hard."

Coming from Sam Carter, that's a serious accusation; Elizabeth sighs again. "I do."

"Come on," Sam says, taking Elizabeth's hand from her computer. "Our kids are back from their field trip."

"Field trip?" Elizabeth starts to ask, but as soon as she's out of her office, she can't help seeing the lights.

Jack waves them down enthusiastically to see the huge pine tree, covered in lights. "Come on, come on, we're losing precious time," he teases and Sam brings Elizabeth straight to him. "Fearless leader must light the lights," he explains with a little bow.

John nods. Andrew waves towards the switch. Indy beams proudly. Claudia nearly bounces with excitment and little Ellen- Ripley- runs up to grab her mother's hand. Her fingers are sticky, but her touch is sincere and warm.

"Come on mommy," she begs, her green eyes shining so much like her father's.

Jack waves his hand, and the 'gate room goes quiet with anticipation. With a solemnity that strikes her more and more as the years pass, Elizabeth steps up to the switch.

"Lighting trees is about finding hope in the darkest hour," she reminds them as she looks at the families around her. "I think we all can be grateful for the dreams that have already come true, as we wait for the new light to come."

The tree, easily fifteen feet or more, lights up as if it were the city itself. Jack, John and Rodney have outdone themselves this year.

The children squeal and jump up and down. John takes her hand as many of the adults begin to clap or sing. He smiles down at their fingers, and then looks into her eyes.

"Shorter speech than last year," he taunts.

The lines around his eyes are more pronounced, and she can see the grey teasing his hair. As they age together, she can't help thinking every day, he's more the man she fell in love with. Elizabeth leans closer, intending to simply kiss his cheek, but he turns it into a real kiss. His lips take hers, warm and familiar, and his hand catches her lower back.

"Love you," he murmurs. "Merry Christmas."

Elizabeth doesn't even get the chance to whisper it back before they're surrounded by their children.

"Merry Christmas!"

"When do we get presents?"

"Do we get cake this year too?"

"Why do we put lights on the tree?"

John's eyes are glinting and she takes the moment to stare at him. He knows. He's always been good at knowing.

"Mommy and daddy love you very much," Elizabeth says instead of answering the questions. Her children's looks range from surprise to embarassment, to confusion that she hasn't answered Ellen's question. "Very very much."


End file.
